Starcrossed Lovers
by Lobs-StAcEy-Ters
Summary: H.V. Hitomi is contantly thinking of Van, but nothing happens, she doesn't return to Gaea. A strangely mysterious draconian has stolen Van's pendant. Everything is at stake now, including his and Hitomi's lives. COMPLETE!
1. Will He Remember?

**Star-crossed Lovers**

I don't own Escaflowne. This all happens after the show. I hope you enjoy it!

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**Chapter One: Will He Remember?**

**Part One**

Hitomi sat at her desk looking through her window at the full moon. She felt lonely. It had only been a week since she left Gaea, but she thought of him so dearly. In one way she wanted to be with him so badly, yet she never wanted to see him again.

"What if I cause the people of Gaea pain again? Was it not because of me that everything happened? Oh Van, I love you so much." She stared at the energist he had given her. Did he forget about her?

-**Flashback**-

After a tight embrace, he says, "You know what? All we have to do is think of each other and we can see each other anytime we want."

**-End of Flashback-**

Wasn't he thinking of her? Why wasn't she back on Gaea entwined in his arms? Hitomi looked at her image. She looked paled. She hadn't slept much for days. It was eleven at night and she couldn't sleep again. She soon spotted a notebook lying on her table. She opened it and began to write.

_It all started when I first asked to Tarot cards if I'd find true love. Was it all just a dream? No, it was real..._

Hitomi finished writing down her adventures in Gaea at about 3 A.M. It had her every thought and feeling recorded on those 500 sheets of paper. That notebook had 500 more pages to be used.

Hitomi was finally tired and fell asleep suddenly.

**Part Two**

Van was walking around in the woods thinking of Hitomi. She had only been gone for a day. He walked and kicked random objects around. He knew how he played a major role in rebuilding Fanelia, but he couldn't help thinking of her. He was about to head back to the palace when he heard a voice calling him.

"Lord Van!" It was Merle.

"Merle!" He shouted back. "Where are you?" There was no reply. He heard screams and yells, so he hurriedly in the direction of the voice. He finally saw Merle. She was tied up in a corner of the forest. He ran up to untie her, but before he reached her, a cage ensnared him. He heard a cackle and then a pinch of pain before falling limp to the ground.

When he awoke, he found that his sword and his pendant were gone, and he was still in the cage. He then saw that a cloaked man stood before him.

Van sat up immediately and angrily said, "Where is she? Where are my belongings?"

"The cat's safe. Your sword's under that tree over there."

"The pendant, I mean. Who do you think you are?"

"Oh, that. Hm, I believe it's here." The man drew out the pink stone from the shirt he was wearing. "And sorry, I'm not giving it back. If you want them back then follow me. I'll be waiting for you at the old Zaibach Empire." The man then sprouted wings and flew away.

Van stood there amazed and shocked. _**He's a draconian? How am I supposed to get out of this place?**_ Soon then magically, the cage disappeared. Van shot out of the area and immediately grabbed his sword. He then threw off his shirt and followed the man on wings.


	2. Advice from Grandma

**Star-crossed Lovers: Chapter 2**

Thanks Inda, rrruditch, and Clarisse for reviewing!!!!

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Chapter 2: Advice from Grandma

When Hitomi awoke, she found that she had overslept. It was a little past noon, and she decided there was no reason to go to school that morning.

She slipped something on and then fell back onto her bed. Her heart was aching. She was on her back on the bed holding the pink energist above her head looking at it closely. She could still see Van's dried blood.

"I want to be able to travel to Gaea once more. I wonder what Grandma would do." Hitomi began to hum. She decided she would go visit her grandmother. Her grandmother lived in a temple not too far away from her house. Hitomi rode the bus to the temple, walked up fifty stairs, and was finally there. She was surprised that her grandmother was already there to greet her.

"Why, Hitomi, what a surprise," her grandmother said.

"Grandma, I want to talk to you about something. Do you have any time?"

"Why yes, Hitomi, anything. Come in and I'll fix you something."

Hitomi went in and after her grandmother prepared her some tea, she told her about her trip to Gaea.

"Well, do you believe me?" She looked at her grandmother closely.

"Yes," she replied softly. "I do, Hitomi. The same thing happened to me."

"So it's true then! You met Allen's father."

"I was on my way back from a festival..." Her grandmother told her what had happened to her.

For the rest of the day, Hitomi stayed at her grandmother's asking for advice.

Part Two:

He flew as fast as he could, gliding in the wind. He had to go to Zaibach. He would lose not only Merle, but Hitomi as well_. **Perhaps it would have been wiser if I went to the palace first. Then they would know where I was, but Hitomi and Merle are much more important.**_

It was a long fly to Zaibach, so Van occasionally landed on rocks to rest a few seconds. When in Zaibach he flew over the destroyed palace. He remembered the place and saw the Atlantis Machine. He was reminded of all the sorrowful events that happened because of that machine. His brother died in that same building. Van felt rage at once.

"Folken...BROTHER!!! I WILL AVENGE YOUR DEATH!!!" Van shouted out for Gaea to hear. He looked at the ground disappointedly. Nothing he tried would bring Folken back.

"A nice touching speech you gave a second ago." It was the man.

"What do you want? Return to me—"

The man shook his finger. "What a spoiled little king. You don't' really think that you'll get them back so easily do you? I'm not giving them back without a fight."

"Escaflowne's not here."

"Swordfight, you fool."

"Gladly, under one condition."

"What is that."

"Return Merle and the pendant first."


	3. Determination

**Starcrossed Lovers: Chapter 3**

**Hi! I know, I know. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a long long time. Please tell me what you think! -Stacey**

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**Chapter 3: Determination**

"What is that?"

"Return Merle and the pendant first."

The man smirked. "What makes you think I'm going to do that? Any fool knows that a thief won't return things so easily."  
"Well, that's probably why I'm not a fool."

"Have you ever wondered, Van Fanel, about the blood that flows within your veins?"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Van said. He was almost frustrated. Things of his past kept coming up.

"Do you ever wonder why that girl came here in the first place?"

"She came here because—"

The man cut him off. "Because of you. You are the heir to the throne of Atlantis, king of the Draconians. You are also the king of Fanelia, but you are not worthy of neither those titles nor those honors. I am the rightful heir of both empires. You will bow to me."

Van's temper was rising. How dare he insult him like that! Who was he to say such words about him. **He** was the king! "What do you know? I suppose you are challenging me." Van drew his sword and charged at the man.

"Don't dare insult me!" Van was angry. The man easily dodged the attack.

"You aren't aggressive enough. You're aren't trying hard enough."

"Shut it, you—"

The man was gone. He was not there, at least Van could not see him.

"Behind you," a voice said.

Van turned around and saw the man. He had his left hand slightly raised.

"You think you are all that, don't you, King Van? Or maybe you've just never met anyone capable of defeating you properly." The man smirked. Then all of the sudden, Van was hurled against the wall by an invisible force. Van yelled in agony. It was impossible. Never in Gaea had such a thing happened before, or at least not to him.

"Hmph. You're pitiful, Van. Such a loser."

Van slowly arose from the ruble he was wrapped under. He groaned a bit then wiped off the blood dripping from his mouth. With much difficulty he said, "No...nobody... says that to... me." _I'm the king, _He thought to himself. He slowly recovered to the point where he could move properly. Once again he charged and was blown right back to the wall, de ja vu.

Van slowly stood up again. This time he just stumbled and fell face first onto the hard stone floor.

"Hm..., quite a bit of determination, huh?" He walked up to Van and kicked him lightly. "Still alive?" Van grunted. "I thought so. You aren't that easily defeated, are you?" He smirked at his handiwork. The king was now on the ground aching all over with lots of blood. He then drew out the pendant from his pocket and swung it for four seconds before dropping it infront of Van. "See y'later, I'm gone. The name's Soare. King Soare of the Draconians."

Soare then turned around and walked away.

"Come back here," Van said weakly. _I must not let him_...

Soare stopped and turned his head. Van had remarkably gotten up and was slowly limping over to him.

"Where's—Merle?" He said spitting out blood.

"Oh, her. She was never here. Perhaps it would have been wiser to return to your palace first before coming here. Then you would have seen her. I just simply brought back an image of her from your memories. What a loser. Like I said, I'm gone." He did a little wave and then flew off leaving Van all bloody. Van fell onto his knees, grabbing the pendant. _How... what just happened. I wish that I was on a bed... Hitomi..._

And with that, he was gone.

**Part Two**

_Grandma said I should stay calm and don't lose hope. Concentrate. It takes practice. Just believe in yourself, believe in your dreams, believe in your wishes. Think of happy things. They will give you the power to see him again. Trust yourself, Hitomi._

Hitomi sighed. No matter how hard she tried, nothing happened. She just stayed there. She lay on her bed thinking of her grandmother's words. Suddenly her door burst open.

"Hitomi! Hey, I thought I'd come by to see how you were doing. I know you're just dying to talk. Come on." It was Yukari. She was all cheerful as usual.

Hitomi tried to act cheerful as well. "Hey, Yukari. I'm fine. I'm daydreaming, as usual, thinking about people."

Yukari's face was immediately serious. "It's not because of me, is it?"

"Oh no, not at all. In fact, I'm thanking you. If you didn't convince me to confront Amano, then none of this would have ever happened."

"None of what? Hitomi, please tell me. I'm your best friend. Please, I can help you with something."

Hitomi was silent. She was sad.

Yukari continued. "That night, you were running. Then this strangely clad man appeared along with a dragon. Then he slays the dragon. Right after that you both disappeared in a pillar of light for a few months or something. Where did you go?" Hitomi looked away at the window. Yukari sat down on her bed beside her. "What happened?"

Hitomi grabbed onto Yukari's arm and began to shake it. "I'm thinking of him, Yukari, I miss him."

"A...Amano?" Yukari spoke her boyfriend's name nervously. If Hitomi still hadn't gotten over their relationship, she didn't know what she would do.

A tear fell down Hitomi's cheek. "No, Yukari, no. Van." She ran over and opened up her window. "VAAAAN!"

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I'm Sorry, it's taken me so long to update. School's...so tiring. I know, lowsy excuse. At least this chapter's a little longer. I get writer's block on this fic, but not on my other one. Strange, huh? Well **PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

Thank you my reviewers. Everytime I get a review I write some more of the next chapter. Please review, or I may not update in a while!:

**_Inda_**

**_rrruditch_**

**_Seizaburo Ichikawa _**

**_Wake-Robin_**

**_-Stacey, Dedicated author of this fic_**

****


	4. Healing

**Starcrossed Lovers: Chapter Four**

**Hey everyone! Thanks for reviewing! I don't own Escaflowne (and never will. This applies for rest of fic.) Enjoy!**

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**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Four: Healing**

"VAAAAN!" Hitomi was crying. She leaned against the window in despair. Why couldn't she see him again? Hitomi stared into the clear blue sky. Suddenly she heard Yukari scream.

"AHHH! SOME—one..." Yukari was breathless and on the floor.

Hitomi whirled around and saw him. It was Van. Not a normal Van, no, not normal at all. Blood was everywhere, all over her bed, but she didn't care about that. She ran toward him, knocking over anything that stood in her way. "Van!"

He was still alive. She ran over to him. "Van! Hold on, I'll get help immediately. You shouldn't try to move. Stay there."

He tried to get up but failed. "I—I must get...re—re—venge." Van was able to utter those few words before falling asleep again.

Yukari almost fainted at the sight of all the blood. "Who is he? Hitomi, how do you know him?"

"He's Van, the 'strangely clad' man. He needs help. Oh, Yukari, what are we going to do?"

"We should send to the hospital. I'll go call." Yukari grabbed the phone.  
"What will we tell my mom? Some man randomly appeared on my bed? She's downstairs right now!"

"Ok, good point." Yukari said. "Um, do you have a first aid kit?"

"Yes, yes, I do. It's downstairs let me go get it. You go get a wash basin of warm water and lots of towels from the bathroom. Be as quite as possible." They both rushed out of Hitomi's room to get their materials.

Hitomi was on her way down the stairs when her little brother came up to her to badger her. "Hitomi, I know what—"

"Shut up, kid."

Her brother kept talking. "Hey! Don't tell me to shut up. I going to tell—" Hitomi slapped her brother.

"WHAAAAAAAA!!! Hitomi slapped me!!!"

"Shut it before—" _What am I doing arguing with that freak. Van needs my help! _She continued down into their kitchen where her mom was cooking.

"Honey, is something going on with you and your brother? I don't want to hear anything."

"Sorry, Mom. He tripped, so I'm getting him a Band-Aid."

"Okay, Hitomi. Be more careful next time."

"Sure, Mom." Hitomi went rushed back up the stairs. When she was before her room she found that her door was open. _Did Yukari forget to shut it?_ _Is—oh no!_ Hitomi flung her door open. It was too late. Her brother was already inside staring at Van.

"YOU BRAT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM!" She was about to smack him again.

Her brother's eyes were watering up. "QUIT SHOUTING!" He said, close to tears. "If—if you don't tell me what's going on—I—I'll tell Mommy!"

Yukari entered the room with her hands full. She immediately saw what was happening. She set the towels and basin down on a table and went up to her brother.

"Now, Pudgy, you don't—" Yukari began.

"Don't call me Pudgy! I'm not fat!" He shouted angrily.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I won't ever do it again," she said. "Now, I don't really know exactly what's going on, but if we don't help him, he'll die. You can stay here if you promise not to say a word to anyone."

"Okay," he said, eyeing Van suspiciously, "but only if you promise to give me bubble gum, and if you tell me what's going on. I also want twenty bucks."

"NO! YOU FREAK—" Hitomi's words were smothered by Yukari's hand.

"Don't worry; it's a deal—and no crossing fingers. Deal?" They shook hands.

"But, what will I do here?" He asked.

"You can help us."

"Awesome! I always wanted to do this!"

"You're brothers really girly acting," Yukari whispered to Hitomi.

Hitomi nodded. "Okay. First, we need to clean his wounds." She removed the scraps remaining of his red shirt.

"Um... rubbing alcohol? Yukari, do you think I should use this?"

"Well, it looks like he's bleeding a lot, so that's going to hurt him. Try it; if it stings too much, then you should just use water.

Hitomi nodded. She quickly slipped on some gloves. She got a cotton ball and dipped it with some rubbing alcohol. She dabbed it onto an enormous wound on his shoulder. Van groaned in pain.

"Oh, I'm sorry Van. I know it hurts."

Van opened one of his eyes. "Don—don't wor—ry. I c—can take it."

"What's wrong with him?" Hitomi's brother asked.

"Well, obviously he's injured," Yukari said. "Hitomi, we should use water or at least on the big wounds. We can use alcohol on smaller wounds."

"Right."

"I'll help too," her brother said.

"Okay," Hitomi said, "here." He handed them both gloves.

Soon all of Van's upper body was cleaned and bandaged. Hitomi rolled up his pants and cleansed and bandaged his legs.

Hitomi's brother was tapping her shoulder. "What?"

"Well, I was thinking..."

"What?"

"Well, what if he's hurt, you know, in other places."

Yukari giggled slightly. "Oh no, we're not doing anything more than this," Hitomi said. She was blushing.

"But what if he's injured really badly?"

"Squirt, you ask too many questions. The pants would be torn if he was injured."

"Oh, right." There was a brief silence. He walked around to the other side of Van when something caught his eye. Something was clenched in Van's fist. He pried Van's finger open.

"Didn't Grandma give you this?" He asked, poking at it curiously.

Yukari recognized it as well. "That's your pendant! Why does he have it?"

_That's why we weren't connected! He didn't have the pendant with him! I should have known. He was thinking of me. Van... OH MY GOSH..._ Her eyes widened in shock. She saw it all. She saw the vision clearly. She saw how Van was tricked and then how he was tortured.

"What's wrong, Hitomi?" Yukari asked. She knew something was wrong.

"I see it. I see it all." She shed a tear. "He was ruthlessly tortured—by an unknown force—to see me once again." She hugged him tightly.

"Hitomi—you don't want to kill him!" Her brother said.

"Shh," Yukari said. She's going to tell me every detail sooner or later... "Hitomi, you should rest. You're tired. You need to sleep. I'll stay here with you tonight. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"Thanks Yukari, you mean everything to me. Wake me up before dinner." Hitomi dragged out two sleeping bags, one for her and the other for Yukari.

After Yukari and the little brother finished cleaning up the mess in Hitomi's room, it was time to eat dinner. Because Yukari was over, her mother let them eat upstairs.

"Hey, Hitomi," her brother said, "don't you think he needs to eat?"

"Let him sleep," she replied lovingly.

"You still need to tell me what's happening," he reminded her.

"Okay, okay, go away now. We're going to sleep."

"With him in your room?"

"Shut up! Go!"

"Okay, okay. Goodnight Hitomi. Goodnight Yukari. Goodnight Mr. Person."

"Goodnight, kid," Hitomi and Yukari both replied.

Her brother ran out of her room and finally left them in peace.

"You sure have a way with your brother," Yukari said, laughing.

"Yeah," Hitomi said, relieved. "Well, at least we're done with that. I need a good night's rest before I can think about anything else." Hitomi first covered Van with a blanket before climbing into her sleeping bag.

Yukari waited for Hitomi to fall asleep. It was only 9:00. She wanted to call Amano and tell him about what had happened. She picked up the phone on Hitomi's desk when she spotted it. A notebook labeled Adventures in Gaea. She flipped open the cover. _This is Hitomi's journal!_ _...**We were on a strange land where the earth and the moon were in the sky, just hanging there. Wolf men approached us...**_

****Yukari sat down and began to read. _So this is why...! _She read every page and comprehended every detail. She's in love with him, yet she never told me! We're best friends! I would have believed her, even if Amano didn't. Why?

Yukari sat up suddenly when she heard a knock on the door. "Hitomi, Yukari, are you there?" It was Hitomi's mom.

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Yay! It's so much longer! Thanks my reviewers!!! 

**Inda**- It's longer, it is!!! Van was just trying to get the pendant back, so Hitomi doesn't really have to do much with that at all. Please answer my folowing questions. Thanks.

**rrruditch-** Thank you for reviewing! Yes, I know he's very different. Please answer my following questions.

**Wake-Robin** - Well all the 'bad guys' have pretty much been defeated, so there has to be a new bad guy. Yes, he is different. He's quite weird actually. Please answer my following q's.

**1. What is Hitomi's brother's name? Please some suggestions.**

**2. Which do you prefer? Van having to stay in Hitomi's world then Hitomi going to Van's, or vise versa?**

Thank you! Please any suggestions welcome! and Don't forget to review!

**-Stacey, dedicated author(ess)!**


	5. A Promise Pair

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Starcrossed Lovers: Chapter 5**

**I'm sorry this is a pretty stupid chapter. At least it's not too short. But length isn't all that matters. I'm also sorry I haven't updated in two weeks because I was working on my other fic (but hey, I did update two chapters for that!! :P!). I don't own any Escaflowne. Yay! I remebered! Please review ---Stacey**

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It was Hitomi's mom. Yukari had to do something. She knew Hitomi's mother had developed a habit of checking to see where Hitomi was ever since she returned from Gaea. Not wanting to disturb Hitomi, Yukari quickly lifted her into her bed where Van was. _I can't move him. He's still injured. _She pulled the covers over Van's face, but allowed Hitomi's face to show. 

"Yes, Mrs. Kanzaki?" She asked.

"Could I come in please?"

"S—sure." Yukari ran over to the door and opened it. Mrs. Kanzaki poked her head in to make sure Hitomi was sleeping.

"Well, Yukari, don't stay up too late. Oh, it's a bit hot in here. You may want to turn on the fan." She pointed to a fan in the corner.

"Oh yes, I'll be sure to do that," Yukari said, running over to the fan. She looked for a button to press but found none. _How are you supposed to work this?_

"Let me help you," Hitomi's mother said. After struggling with the fan quite a while, she could not turn it on either. "Well," said Mrs. Kanzaki, "I'm sure we don't want Hitomi to dehydrate. I'll get her a thinner blanket."

"Ok," Yukari said. _Wait a minute... then she'd have to lift the blankets, and she'll find Van! Worst of all she'll thinking we're doing something wrong. Ahhhh! _"Mrs. Kanzaki. I fixed the fan!" Yukari called out of her room. "We're fine! No need for you to go to all the trouble to get thinner sheets!"

"Are you sure?" a voice called back.

"Yes!"

"Let me come in and see."

"We're fine, seriously. Besides, you need your rest. You've worked so hard today! Don't spend your resting time worrying about us. It's not going to help you at all."

"Yukari, I still need to—"

"Mommy!" It was Hitomi's brother.

"Yes, Mamoru?"

"Can you get me a glass of water? I'm very thirsty."

"Sure, honey. Be right there."

Yukari closed there door and gave a sigh of relief. "Whew! That was close. Thanks Mamoru, kid. Thanks." Yukari was so tired she fell asleep immediately.

--

It was morning and a bright light shone through her window. Hitomi slowly opened her eyes and woke up to hear birds chirping happily. She lifted the covers and then covered her mouth. She was in her bed! That was where Van was! _How'd I get here? Wasn't I in my... Yukari must have done something_! She started to blush. She took her pillow and threw it on Yukari's head.

"Wake up sleepy-head," Hitomi said.

"What is it?" Yukari asked yawning? She looked at Hitomi's stern looking face and then saw a sleeping Van. "Oh, him. Uh...ha-ha...um...well... you see."

"Not funny, Yukari."

"You're mom was coming in to check on you, wouldn't she have found it weird if you were sleeping on your sleeping bag and there was someone that's wasn't me in your bed?"

Hitomi understood. "Thank you, Yukari, good thinking."

"So now you thank me..." Yukari began to laugh.

"So! Are we ready to make some breakfast for the king?" Yukari asked.

"How did you know—Yukari! You read my journal, didn't you?"

"Uh...well... Hitomi, you were going to tell me about it afterwards weren't you? Anyways, I'm your best friend. Things like this I'm bound to find out about. You shouldn't keep such things from your best friends."

"But Yukari, think of all the things you've kept from me!"

"Like what?"

"Like how you were in love with Amano—"

"Knock it off, Hitomi. Come on, let's go make some breakfast." The girls got dressed and then went downstairs to make breakfast for the sleeping king.

His muscles were aching. He awoke to find himself bandaged. Above him was a face of a girl he didn't quite recognize.

Yukari gasped. "Hitomi! He's awake!"

"VAN!" Hitomi ran into the room carrying a tray of pancakes and orange juice.

"Hi—Hitomi?" Van said. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Where—this is the Mystic Moon?"

"What?" Yukari asked, confused.

Hitomi brought the tray of food to her bed and said, "Here, have some pancakes."

Van did not recognize this new food. After Hitomi explaining what they were and how to eat them, she introduced Yukari. "This is my best friend, Yukari."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Yukari," Van replied as politely as possible. "I am Van of Fanelia."

"Hi! Just call me Yukari."

"Van," Hitomi said, "how are you feeling? It looks like you got injured pretty bad."

"I—yeah." Van was disappointed and didn't want to talk about it. His pride was hurt. Yukari saw this all and quickly started a new subject.

"So I take it you and Hitomi are officially going out..."

"What?" Van said.

"Well...you know, together."

"Uh, we aren't engaged if that's what you mean."

"NO!" Yukari slapped her forehead. "Ah, never mind. Never mind, forget it."

"So, Van," said Hitomi, "are you going to be going back to Gaea immediately?"

"Well...I haven't really thought about that yet. I need to get back to Fanelia because we're in the process of rebuilding it, and the people need me."

Hitomi's face saddened. "Then—then I'll go back with you!"

"Hitomi!" Yukari pleaded. "You can't go. Think of all the people you'll be leaving behind!"

"But I love him. I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Well, I didn't follow Amano to England when he went."

"Yukari, you're my best friend. I thought you would understand."

Van saw what was happening. They could get into an argument. "I can go back to Gaea and to tell them where I am and then come back."

"You'll do that?" Hitomi asked. Van nodded. Hitomi cheered and hugged him around the neck.

"Careful," Yukari joked, "you don't want to kill him."

"Are you going to go right now?" Hitomi asked.

"I suppose I could to make it quick." Van held up the pendant.

"Do you think that's a good idea," Yukari asked, "with you all injured and everything?"

"They're just a couple of scratches," Van said, knowing that it wasn't true. "I'll be fine."

"I think you should rest some more, at least until tonight," Hitomi said.

"I don't need a woman to worry for me," Van said. "I'll be fine."

"We're you're nurses," Yukari joined in, "and since we did the job for free, I guess that means we deserve some kind of pay, which means that you're going to rest. Ok? I'll be back tomorrow night. Bye Hitomi! Bye Van!"

"No, Yukari. It's Van with a long A. Like Von, not the car." Hitomi corrected her jokingly.

Van had no choice but to rest. Hitomi hid him carefully with the help of Mamoru. When the second night arrived, Yukari was back again and Van was ready to return to Gaea.

"You promise you'll come back?" Hitomi asked.

"You promise you'll still be here?" Van asked in return.

"I promise you, Van."

"Then it's a promise," Van said and kissed her softly on the cheek. He held the pendant in his hands and thought really hardly to himself. _I wish that I am back on Gaea. _He thought of Fanelia, the people of Fanelia, the way it looked. He pictured as many images of Fanelia in his head as he could possibly think of and waited with his eyes closed for a pillar of light to take him back.

It didn't work though. Nothing happened. Van was still standing in Hitomi's room.

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**How was it? Good? Bad? I didn't think it was that great, but oh well.... Please review for me anyways.**

**Thank you my reviewers:**

**Martina: Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, this kind of is a Hitomi Van fic.... but I'll think about what you were saying.... just not Yukari Van of course.... ooh... I have a great idea....lol**

**rrruditch- Thank you for reviewing! Thanks for the suggestion!!! **

**Inda- Thanks for the suggestions and for reviewing!!! Even if his name isn't Mamoru, I'm using it anyways. **

**Wake-Robin- Van didn't exactly appear out of nowhere.... well nevermind, he kind of did...haha... I'm really stupid, oh well. I don't like complicated things... too much for my little brain...lol.**


	6. Stuck on Earth

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Six**

**Hey everyone! Chapter Six comming right up! I don't own Escaflowne! Please review! I changed some things in this chapter.**

**-Stacey**

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**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Six: Stuck on Earth**

**Part** **One**:

In the dark alley he walked until he entered a wooden door. He was greeted by many drunken men. It was a bar, a warm bar with many lights on. Many people merrily danced around, all drunken.

One old man with a spectacle walked up to him and said, "Dude, I thank I sawed you at a bar the other night, a heh heh." The man had a deep country brogue.

Soare raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Sure, Dotely. You're getting a little too old for this. I've got some advice. Become a hairdresser. You'll surely succeed."

The old man became excited. "Greetings to you, young sir! Thanks for the compliment! I'll be sure to do that. I'm thinking of enterin' a bridal hairstyle company. Teehee. Y'boasted m'confidence. Your opinion has sure aroused me deeply!" The old man wobbled off somewhere. Soare laughed quite loudly thinking, _What sorry freak, quite entertaining though._

"Nice one, Soare!" another man said, patting him on the back. "You tricked the young fool into believing you had the cat woman with you. We have sure got some good mirage skills. Drink your health!" He handed him a mug of beer.

All of the men raised their mugs and said, "Drink to your health! King Soare! Glug-glug-glug-glug-glug." The men gulped down yet another mug of beer.

They noticed Soare had not touched his beer. "Dude, why ain'tcha drinkin'?" One man asked.

"Not now, Yokes, not now. He's gone. The draconian fool's gone. I went back to see where he went. He wasn't there. Our plan is a complete failure without him! We need him, the box remember?"

"And we can't fill the box without the little king?"

"That's right," Soare replied.

"I'll bring 'em 'ere! I promise. I'll fill the box. You'll see!" The drunken Yokes said excitedly.

"No. Let me handle this. I have another plan. Last time we made a mirage of the cat woman, but this time, we'll do his sweetheart."

"That's the girl from the Mystic Moon!"

"Yes, that's right, the earthling."

"But, it won't work this time, if it didn't work last time," Yokes said.

"No, that's true. It's gonna be different this time, though. Much different." A smile grew on Soare's face. "I'll attack them from the inside. This'll be so great they won't even know what's going on!! Hahahahar! Yokes, pass me m'mug!" Soare took the drink and gulped it all down laughing with malice.

**Part** **Two**:

"Hitomi," Yukari said, "how does this work? He doesn't look gone."

"He can hear you," Hitomi said, "probably because he's still here. Gosh, Yukari, you really don't make much sense sometimes."

_What's happening_, Van thought, _don't tell me I'm stuck here. I need to go back, but it's not so bad, Hitomi's here. _

"Van," Hitomi said, "did you decide to stay?"

"It doesn't seem to be working."

"You're not concentrating enough. Picture the pendant in your mind. Picture Gaea, the moon and Earth hanging the in sky. Picture Fanelia, can't you see all the little children, Merle too."

Van shook his head. "It's not working, I can't do it."

"Well, I guess you just have to stay here," Hitomi said with a smile on her face.

"Yep!" Yukari agreed as if she was planning something evil.

"Come on, Van. It won't be that bad. I had to stay in Gaea for a long time and I was fine. I'd like to see how you'd handle it."

"I never said there was anything wrong with being here," Van replied. "As long as I can be around you, Hitomi."

"Of course," said Hitomi. She put her arms around him.

Yukari began to clap. "That's so sweet! We need to have a get together sometime. Tomorrow at noon! We'll go to The Parlor! Tomorrow during school lunch break." Yukari was hinting something in her voice.

"That's a won-der-ful idea, Yukari," Hitomi played along.

"Um—what's The Parlor?" Van asked.

Before Hitomi could reply, Yukari said, "You'll see. Don't miss out! Amano will be there!"

"I thought Amano was in England," Hitomi said.

"He returned yesterday. He still has some jetlag. It's pretty funny actually." Yukari laughed. "Oh my gosh! I need to go over to his apartment! I promised I'd be there! Gotta go, Hitomi. Tell me about your 'fun' tomorrow. Remember, The Parlor at noon during lunch break! Bye Hitomi. See ya Van! Bye!" Yukari left waving to the both of them.

"What was that about," Van asked, confused.

"You'll see," Hitomi said. "You'll see. Tomorrow I have school, so you'll have to stay here, unless you want to go to school as well."

"Sure, I guess. How hard can it be anyways?"

"Well, I need to get you enrolled. I guess you could be a foreign exchange student from—uh—China! I just need to forge my mom's signature, and you'll be able to go easily, but I'm not sure why you would want to go to school. It's so boring."

"Well, I guess there's not much else to do," Van said sitting down in a chair. "It's so nice here. You have a family and friends. In Gaea, I'm sure war will eventually break out again sometime. Peace doesn't last very long."

"That's not true, Van," Hitomi said. She sat down and leaned her head on his thigh. "You just need to believe that everything will be fine, and it will. Have you ever heard, 'Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming?'"

"N—not really" He eyed her awkwardly.

"Oh, right. That's from a movie. Hah, stupid me. Don't listen to me."

"You have a great judgment though," Van said, stroking her hair softly.

The night went on like that. Van let Hitomi sleep in the bed, and he slept on the floor. When Van awoke, he found that Hitomi had already left. There was a note taped to her bedroom door.

_**Van:**_

**_School starts at 9:00. It's 6:30 when I'm writing this right now. Wear my dad's clothes that are on the bed. Our principal hates when people dress messily. Eat the breakfast on the table beside my bed. Go out my window and onto the roof and climb to the ground _**without**_ standing out too much. Try not to let anyone see you. Outside of our house gate there is a pole a few steps to the right. I'll meet you there. Be there by 8:30. Take the watch that's beside the clothes. There's a phone by my bed. If you're confused, call my cell phone. The number is (726) 285-8475. _**

_**Love,**_

_**Hitomi**_

_**XOXOXOXOXOX**_

Van looked at the digital clock that read 7:55. He slipped on the Polo shirt that was neatly laid on the bed alongside with the khaki pants. He followed Hitomi's directions exactly and waited at the pole. He looked at his watch. It read 8:23. _Hitomi should be there soon_, he thought. He waited ten minutes. _Where is she? It's about 8:35_.

--

_Where is he?_ Hitomi thought as she leaned against the pole. _It's way past 8:30! Maybe I shouldn't have left early, but I really needed to go by Yukari's. Wait a second, he couldn't have, could he?_

--

It was 8:45. Van was still waiting by the pole. "Where is she?" He asked himself aloud. He then heard a voice call him. "Van!" It was Hitomi.

"Where were you?" He asked.

"Where were you?" Hitomi asked him.

"I was where you told me to go."

"Silly, Van. This is the pole on the left. I told you to go to the pole on the right."

"But—Oh." A stupid mistake that Van blushed at. How could he have been so stupid, not even to be able to tell his left from his right?

"Don't worry about, Van. We need to get to school before we're late. Mr. Toriyama hates when we're late." Hitomi grabbed his hand and walked to their school right before the bell rang.

_What will happen at the Parlor? How will Van fair at school?_

* * *

That's it for now! Van's going to have to go through school now. I probably won't make him go but for like one day or something. What do you guys think? 

Thank you those who reviewed me!!!

**Wake**-**Robin**- Thank you for reviewing! Yep, he's kind of stuck. Of course there's a reason why he can't go back. hehe...

**Inda**- Thanks for reviewing. I just thought of it. Isn't Mamoru the name of some person from Sailor Moon? I haven't seen that thing in like five years, but I really don't remember them ever mentioning Hitomi's brother's name. Oh well.

**Macky**- Thanks for reviewing! I'm not sure if I made it really clear, but in chapter 3, Soare says that Merle was never there, and if Van had gone back to Fanelia, then he would have seen Merle. I'm sorry if I didn't explain that well, so I put some of that stuff in this chapter. Thank you!!!

**Lissla** **Lissar**- Thank you for your review and awesome idea!!! You notice ' the parlor' that they won't tell Van about, is a pizza parlor, right?? hehe. Pizza's awesome! Thanks!!!

Thank you everyone! Review again, or as I stated earlier, **BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN** (like me not reviewing or something.)

--Stacey (dedicated authoress)


	7. The Parlor

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Seven**

**I'm about to get writer's blocky. I don't own Escaflowne!! Please review! **

* * *

Hitomi had used her genius and gotten Van enrolled into their high school. Because it was Van's first day, he was in all of Hitomi's classes. They had two classes before lunch break. The first class was Biology and the second was Literature. 

When Van first walked into the Biology room with Hitomi, all eyes were on him. His hair was neatly combed and he was looking nice in his uniform. One of Hitomi's classmates, Sakura, ran up to Van, exclaiming, "Wow! Isn't he fine?!?" Van blushed.

Many others went up to Van and said the same thing. They were really getting onto Hitomi's nerves. She almost wanted to smack them. Van would soon get his own fan club at that rate. All of the girls were extremely upset when Hitomi revealed that Van was with her.

During class, Van had no idea at all about what they were talking about. He just sat there thinking about Gaea_. This world...it's so...pointlessly peaceful. I can't stay here. It's so—well, maybe Hitomi was right. I do like war. It's too peaceful here. I need to continue training while I'm here. If only my sword was still here..._

"Fanel! What are you doing? Just because you are new doesn't mean I'm going to cut you any slack!" Mrs. Koru was shouting at him. "Answer the question! What kind of cells—what is it Kanzaki?"

"Mrs. Koru, I'm sorry. He doesn't speak much of our language. He's from China, remember?"

"Right..." There was some suspicion in the instructor's voice. "Hmph. Well? Kanzaki, what are you waiting for? Answer the question!"

"Oh—right. Uh—plant cells! No, animal c—plant cells."

Biology class continued like that with the teacher asking cell questions. After an hour and a half of class, they had a fifteen minute break.

"Van," Hitomi said, "so, I told you. It is boring isn't it?"

"Yeah, I suppose." What Van really was thinking was, _Yeah, this world is boring. I'm sorry, Hitomi, I just can't stay here._

Hitomi sighed. "You don't like it here, do you?"

"I—"

"Yet, you can't concentrate hard enough to return to Gaea."

Van didn't want to hurt Hitomi's feelings by telling her he didn't like it much on Earth. "I just haven't done much yet. I'm really looking forward to going to the Parlor."

"Really, Van? Yukari and I have something splendidly wonderful planned."

"Splendidly wonderful?" Van asked.

"Uh—yes. Is something wrong with that?" Hitomi asked.

"Nothing..."

They then went to literature. It was a substitute teacher that day. No one ever listened to the sub. Guys threw paper at each other while the girls would watch them and giggle like girls. What an immature class. Hitomi slumped in her chair waiting for the clock to speed up. For some reason she felt a bit shy. Why couldn't she start a good conversation with Van? He obviously didn't like it on Earth very much. Hitomi wouldn't mind returning to Gaea, but she didn't want to abandon her friends and family. It would break their hearts.

Lit class ended the boring morning. Hitomi and Van soon met Yukari in the hall.

"Where's Amano?" Hitomi asked.

"Oh, him," Yukari said, giggling. "He said he's going to wait for us there. Hehe..."

"O—oh. Okay, well then, let's go! To the Parlor we go!" Hitomi said pointing in front of her. "Oh...wait. It's the other way." Hitomi turned around. "TO THE PARLOR WE GO!"

"Well, how's that?" Yukari whispered to Van. "Astonishly Dim Hitomi Duh! ADHD. Haha."

Van didn't get it. He followed them to the Parlor. He found out that it was a food place. "What is this?" He asked.

"A pizza parlor," Yukari replied. "What else could it be? Oh look, there's Amano." Yukari rushed up to him. Hitomi gasped. Amano had dyed his hair! It was blonde.

Van was surprised when he saw Amano and rubbed his eyes. "A—allen?"

"Now look here, pal," Amano said. "The name's Amano."

"I don't blame you Van," Hitomi said. "He does look a lot like Allen."

"Who's Allen?" Amano asked.

"Ah, somebody." Yukari said. "Now let's eat."

"No pepperonis!" Hitomi said. "I'm getting plain cheese."

"Ah, Hitomi, you're no fun," Yukari said. "I'm getting supreme."

"Stuffed crust," Amano said.

"What do you want, Van?" Hitomi asked him.

"Uh—What are the choices?"

"Well, there are lots of choices. At the Parlor, you can get any combination you want. Just try something. This is the subway of pizza! Don't get any anchovies, they're nasty and gross."

Van looked at the menu and picked a random option. "I'll get the combination pizza."

The quartet sat down at a table after getting their pizza. Van took his first bite from his pizza. "This...is GOOD!" He began to more very quickly. One slice, two slices...three slices! They could tell he was really hungry.

"So, Van," Amano said. "Where are you from?"

"China," Van said automatically. "I mean, I am Van of Fanelia."

"You somehow look familiar," Amano said, trying to reminisce who Van could be.

"Hey Amano and Van," Yukari said. "Hitomi and I are going to the bathroom. Be right back. You guys can talk. See ya!" Hitomi left with Yukari.

When Yukari entered the bathroom, the first thing she asked Hitomi was, "What's going on with you and Van? You don't seem to be talking that much or something."

"Yukari...it's not me. Well, maybe it is. Ah, don't worry about it. I'm fine." Yukari could tell that Hitomi didn't want to talk about it.

"Hitomi, you are NOT fine. You can tell me, we're best friends." Yukari went up to Hitomi and looked her seriously in the eye.

"Don't bother me! I'M FINE!" Hitomi pushed Yukari back and left the bathroom.

"Hitomi wait!"

Hitomi walked out of the bathroom angrily._ Why is she worrying about my business? I doubt she really even cares. She should just mind her own business._

She had walked to the back part of the Parlor. Three men approached her. "Hey, chick!" The man was hideously ugly and smelled.

Another said, "How's it goin'?" He too smelled.

"Why don't you come with us?" The third said, smiling to reveal his blackened teeth. _Oh no, not this,_ Hitomi thought.

Hitomi tried to escape, but one of them grabbed her arm. She screamed as loudly as possible, and the last thing she could remember was Yukari's worried face looking at her by the bushes.

_What will happen to Hitomi? Will Van go after her?_

* * *

**Please you guys some ideas. It was really hard for me to write this chapter. I'm thinking about going back to Gaea soon, but please tell me what you think!**

**Just a quick poll:**

**Would you rather have Van stay on Earth longer or not?**

**(Random question) Do you read Fics with the font enlarged or normal?**

**Hehe thanks**

**Thanks my reviewers!**

**Tenshi-001- Thanks for reviewing! Please give me some suggestions! I'm glad you like it.**

**Kute Anime Kitty- Thank you for your review! Have any suggestions for me?**

**Wake-Robin- Thank you for reviewing! Yes, Finding Nemo was an awesome movie. Hehe. It was so sad. I loved Dory...(that's her name right? Sorry, haven't seen that movie in a while.)**

**Lissla Lissar- Thank you for reviewing! Yay! Pizza! I'm not sure, but I'm thinking of having Van develop an obsession for pizza. Hehe. What do you think? **

**JoEbLoG- Thank you for reviewing! Please any suggestions? **

**rrruditch- Hey! Thanks for the review. I think I have answered your question. Are you British? Just curious, b/c the way you talk sounds like it.... sort of. **


	8. I'm Your Father

**Starcrossed** **Lovers** **Chapter** **Eight**

* * *

**I don't own Escaflowne!! Please review. Thanks! -Stacey**! **My birthday just passed! Yay! Sorry, I had to take a break.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: I'm Your Father**

"Yeah, that's how it—what was that?" Amano said standing up.

"Hitomi!" Van shouted back.

Suddenly Yukari came running. She was breathless. "Big—men." Gasp. "took Hitomi."

"What happened?" Amano asked. He was surprised such a thing could even happen to Hitomi.

"What? Where is she?" Van asked.

"I—I don't know," Yukari said. "They took her somewhere in the back..." Van wasn't listening. He had closed his eyes again. He could hear her voice in his head.

**_Concentrate... Picture what you want to find in your mind. That's all there is to it. When you sense what you're looking for, the pendant swings in that direction. With practice, you can do it with by just picturing the pendant in your mind._**

_Picture the pendant in your mind..._ Van thought. He saw pictured Hitomi. Her hair, her smell, her face, her beautiful voice, her smile... The pendant! It worked again!

"What are you doing?" Yukari asked impatiently. "We need to look for Hitomi."

"Ok, she's in an alley down south." Van ran in the southern direction.

"Wait! How do you know? Van! Come back!" Yukari called after him but received no reply.

Hitomi slowly opened her eyes and found herself in an alley that had a harrowing stench. She then saw the three men that had brought her there. She felt her wrists and ankles tied together. Hitomi didn't have enough energy to resist. She was tired and dirty. But she knew she had to run, she had to get away. She slowly freed her ankles. She had to leave a sign of her, in case Van was searching for her.

With great difficulty she struggled and pushed herself up until she could stand. She had to be surreptitious and discreet, because she knew that if the men saw her, she would stand no chance against them. Then he turned around and saw her. He turned shouted, "She's getting away!"

Hitomi screamed. Now was the time to put into use her great track skills. She ran as fast as she could. The men chased after her like a herd of bulls. She kept running: into buildings, out of buildings, in more alleys—wherever she could run to she ran, but they couldn't catch her.

Van ran to the exact location where he visualized Hitomi. No one was there. He saw a rope on the ground and beside it had something written into the dirt. _Hitomi_ _K_.

Van closed his eyes once again and held the pendant trying to sense where she could have gone. He ran up stairs, through meadow, into parks...and stopped. He saw three—hideous—men surrounding...Hitomi! He could hear them talk.

"Well, pretty lady, we've finally caught you. You almost got away, running like that. Hah, well you can't escape this time." The man jerked her arm violently.

Hitomi cried out in pain, desperately trying to escape. Van was about to run forth and save her when another man stopped them.

"You are not to harm her," he said. "I gave you the money and the order. Now's the time when you're supposed to run away."

"Well," the ringleader of the three said, "we never said that we weren't going to have a little fun before we handed her over."

"I don't want to start a fight. I suggest you leave now." The man turned around as if he was going to leave with Hitomi. The three men were angry. The biggest of the three picked up a rock and prepared to throw it at him.

Van recognized the stranger's voice. He couldn't quite distinguish the face of the man due to his distance from him, but he was certain he had heard that voice somewhere else before. It wasn't too long ago, perhaps just a few days ago.

The man lifted his arm into the air and prepared to throw the rock, but it never left his hand. In seconds, the man's arm had been twisted behind his back...

Van recognized him. It was Soare! The man he had fought at the old Zaibach Empire. What was he doing here?

"AAAAAARH!" The man screeched in pain. He looked behind him and saw Soare gripping his arm. "Who are you? Let me go."

"I'm Soare, King Soare. I thought I told you I didn't want to fight."

Cowering, the two other men said, "W—we don't either...sir."

"Good, I didn't think so. Now you may leave." He dropped the man's arm and kicked him onto the ground roughly. The man ran away with fright along with his two other companions.

Soare turned to Hitomi. "T-thank you, mister."

"There's nothing to thank me about," Soare replied. "I'm taking you with me."

"W—what?"

"I'm taking you with me... to Gaea."

"No you aren't!" Van ran up the hill angrily. "I don't know how you might have gotten here, but you better leave Hitomi alone!"

"Van!" Hitomi cried out to him.

"I'm sorry, Van. There's something you need to know. I'm your father." He stared into Van's surprised eyes.

Van stopped. "What?"

"I'm your father."

"Uh..." Hitomi began. _Who the heck is this guy? Star Wars? Like Darth Vader and Luke? What? I'm really confused. I thought his father was dead._

Van looked puzzled. His father was Goau and looked nothing like Soare. Goau was much better than that wicked man. How could such a thing be possible?

Soare began to laugh. "The joke's on you! Hah, I really had you there! Ta-ta!" He then grabbed Hitomi and disappeared.

Van had lost Hitomi again, this time right before his very eyes, and he couldn't do a thing. He dropped onto his knees and punched the grass angrily. How could he have been so careless and let such a thing happen? Why?

_Will Van be able to travel back to Gaea to save Hitomi?_

* * *

Sorry.... I guess that chapter was kind of short. Cliffhanger! 

Please review.

Thank you reviewers:

**Lily20**: Thank you! Haha.... cliffhanger again!

**rrruditch**: Thank you. I'm sorry I'm random. That Star Wars thingy was a random idea that popped into my head. I watched the Star Wars rap. 'I'm your father, I'm your father." haha... cool British.

**0-0** Thanks for reviewing!

**sarahgreenw**/**Sarah's** **the** **Star**: Thanks for all of your reviews! Wow. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for all your suggestions. As for the Y/A thing... I think you'll just have to find out.

**JoEbLoG**: Thank you! Yeah, hideously ugly...lol

**Macky**: Thank you so much!

**Wake**-**Robin**: Thanks a lot! haha... I am too random.

**Lissla Lissar**: Haha. Thanks for your suggestions. Yes, I'm random too, but remeber, great minds think alike!

Thanks everyone! -Stacey


	9. Betrayed Conscience

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Nine**

**Ooh... sorry for the long no-updating... very very sorry.... truely**

**I don't own Escaflowne... I hope you like this chapter**

* * *

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Nine: Betrayed**

She slowly woke up. Hitomi felt softness and warmth. She felt silk. The drowsiness was leaving her. She slowly opened her eyes. There was a dazzling light shining into her eyes. The first thing she witnessed was a cascade of fall and spring colors. She realized it was a canopy. She was in a queen-sized four post bed with a beautiful canopy, but why was she in it?

She slept on a silk-covered mattress and was clothed in a beautiful pink silk gown. Hitomi drew open the canopy and saw that she was in an elaborately furnished room. It was everything she could ever want in her room. She looked at the room: two doors, two rather large windows, a bed, a drawer...

Hitomi went up to one door and opened it. It was a closet, and inside were many intricate and beautiful dresses that would cost a fortune to purchase. She went to the other door, and when she turned the knob, she found that it was locked. That puzzled her deeply. Whomever who put her in that room must have wanted her to stay there.

She walked to the windows and found out it was a door. She unlocked it and eagerly slid open the door. There was a porch. She gripped the railing and awed at the scenery: beautiful rose bushes, a row of many-colored trees, flowers of all sort...

She was so impressed with the view she forgot everything else. Then she saw it—the moon, and she remembered. She was on Gaea.

Hitomi stared out at that moon and thought of Van. Then she heard a noise. She walked back into the room and found out that something—or someone was at the door.

The doorknob turned. She saw the man that had taken her back to Gaea, and she was frightened. What did he want? Suddenly, he looked different.

"What do you want?" Hitomi said.

Wait a second... that was Van. "I want you—" Before he could finish, she rushed up to him and slapped hard.

"VAN!"

He rubbed his cheek. That hurt. It had a stinging feeling.

Then she hugged him. Tears streamed down her face. "Van—where have you been? I was all alone. I missed you so much...." Hitomi sobbed some more.

He hugged her back and comforted her. "Don't worry, Hitomi. You'll be all right. Hitomi, baby, we'll just stay here together—"

Hitomi let go of him. "What? Here? What is this place? You don't live here. You aren't Van! What happened?" She yelled at him.

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm Van."

"Van doesn't talk like this. He's much—different!"

The 'Van' changed back to a surprised Soare. "Dang, you're good. I guess I'll just have to do this the hard way."

Hitomi was confused. Soare looked her in the eye, drew her close, and ...

**Part Two:**

Van ran back to the Parlor where he met Yukari and Amano. "What happened?" Amano asked.

"She's gone—that son of a bitch is gone!"

"You're not talking about Hitomi, are you?" Yukari demanded.

"A KIDNAPPER...she's been taken back to Gaea." Van looked frustrated.

"Gaea?" Amano asked.

"I must find Hitomi... but I don't...wait a second..." Van closed his eyes. He pictured Hitomi, saw the pendant—he knew exactly where she was. _Concentrate..._and just like that, he had disappeared.

Wide-eyed, Yukari said, "W—where'd he g—go?"

Van landed in whiteness—a blanket of snow. He was in a land he never had been before. He looked up into the sky, but he wasn't on Gaea...nor was he on the Mystic Moon. He saw a blue ball in the sky (the Mystic Moon) and a greenish ball (...was it Gaea?) Then he saw a mansion in front of him. Behind him a wall of—whiteness. Van couldn't describe it. It seemed like a barrier. Van walked up to it and touched it. His had had gone through it. He immediately withdrew his hand. It was even colder outside of the barrier. Wherever it was, it was someplace his body could not survive in.

Van trekked on. He was cold and needed somewhere to spend the night. He decided to take his chances and entered the mansion. The mansion looked old and deserted. He walked around in the dark room and stopped. There was a desk and on it a journal. He opened it and read, _Year Unknown, Month Unknown. After decades of intensive study, we were finally able to figure out a way to create an oxygen supplied barrier. We have finally reached the moon. We are establishing a barrier of oxygenated space. It seems that we are successful, but there is only one problem. We have lost all communication with our home. I pray that the Gods will help us. May the power of Atlantis be strong._

_Atlantis,_ Van thought, _that's strange... ironic. I wonder if this has anything to do with my past._ _Hmm...Huh? What's that? There's some light over there in that corner._

He saw a light and was drawn toward it. He heard voices. Someone was giggling heartily. He peeked into the furnished room and saw two people making-out...but when he realized who they were, he nearly died. One of them was Soare...and the other was Hitomi.

He couldn't believe such a thing was happening—to him! It couldn't be true. What was happening? Hitomi wouldn't betray him...she couldn't...or could she?

* * *

Ah... another chapter finished. This chapter was really bad... and short... I'm sorry. I couldn't think of how to word everything.... The next one will be better. 

Thank you:

**Wake-Robin**: I'm---very random... haha.. the father thing was just a random thought...haha. Thank you!

**rrruditch**: haha yeah. Thanks!

**JoEbLoG**: thanks for reviewing!

**Jameth**: Thanks for reviewing!!!

**Lily20**: Thank you..... this must be a very unexpected chapter for you....

**Inda**: sorry for not updating in a while... thanks for reviewing

Thanks! Please review!

-Stacey


	10. Heartbroken

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Ten**

It's true...I really haven't updated in a while. I've been busy (#1 Fanfiction writer's excuse! Oh yeah!), but I really have... and that's all I'm going to say. How long has it been... a week in a half? Well, at least it's not taking me about a month to update... Ok my **disclaimer**: I do not own anything except for Soare, the moon (ok, maybe I don't own that... but that's okay... it makes me feel better.), and.... well that's about it...

* * *

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Ten: Heartbroken**

Everything happened too quickly before Hitomi could realize what was happening. Soare had grabbed her and smashed his lips against hers. She tried to get away, but he was holding her too tightly. What was ironic was that she actually felt love in his kiss, but there was still no way that she was going to return that kiss.

Hitomi was fatigued and did not have the capability to struggle. It felt kind of weird to just stand there and let Soare kiss her to death.

_Should_ _I kiss him back? What am I thinking? Think of how angrily distressed Van would be if he found out what was happening? What if he's coming right now for me? No... he couldn't...I'm here alone...it's not possible. What is going on? Does Soare love me? Shouldn't he know that I'm in love with Van, not him?_

_This is pretty fun, I would say, Soare thought to himself. It's just too bad I have to ditch her after this whole thing is over... well, I might as well enjoy the time I have. Let's take it a step farther..._ Suddenly, Soare knocked Hitomi over onto a bed and continued to kiss her.

"What do you think you're do—" Before Hitomi could finish, Soare started to tickle her.

Hitomi, being the rather ticklish type, began laughing instantly. Trying not to laugh, she was able to say, "Quit."

"If you kiss me back," he said.

"What?" Before Hitomi had a chance to say anything else, he grabbed her and started to kiss her again.

_Will I ever get out of this? _Hitomi thought. _He is kind of cute, but if I kissed him back... that would just be horrible...I couldn't...I can't breathe either... Oh my gosh...Van..._ She saw him dumbstruck just standing there. As usual, he just ran away. She pushed Soare as hard as she could and succeeded in getting him off of her.

"Van!" She ran after him.

"Hitomi!" Soare yelled. "Forget about him! All you need is me!" _Or not...this is getting a little out of hand..._

**Part** **Two**:

Van ran out of mansion back into the snowy field. He trudged frustratedly, thinking, _How can this really be happening to me? Does she really want to be kissed that bad. Ok, maybe it's true the farthest I've gone with her is a really, really, nice and warm hug and a kiss on the cheek, but that doesn't mean she has to go and kiss some hideous guy that nearly killed me. Maybe she doesn't want to stay together anymore. I guess that I should just go away...and die...she probably hates me... _

Then Van saw it. It was the barrier that he was at earlier. _Maybe I should go out there. That's probably where I belong. A deserted glacier..._ He stuck his hand outside of the barrier. For the first few seconds, all he could feel was pure iciness. It was so cold that it was tearing at his hand. It was extremely painful, but the pain inside his heart was outmatched the icy pain by far.

Then Van stuck his whole arm out of the barrier. Then he felt something. It was a painfully depressing feeling. He evoked all the painful feelings he had had throughout his whole entire life.

_**Cold  
Lying in my bed  
Staring into darkness  
  
Lost  
I hear footsteps overhead  
And my thoughts return  
Again**_

He didn't want to live that dismaying life anymore...why was everything bad happening to him? He had no family...no one to love him...no one to love back...

_**Like a child who's run away  
And won't be coming back  
Time keeps passing by  
As night turns into day  
  
I'm so far away  
And so alone  
I need to see your face  
To keep me sane  
To make me whole**_

His father had died...his mother was crying...his brother had disappeared...his mother had disappeared...his brother had turned to Zaibach... his brother had died...

_**Try to stay alive  
Until I hear your voice  
I'm gonna lose my mind  
Someone tell me why  
I chose this life  
This superficial lie  
Constant compromise  
Endless sacrifice  
**_

...and now this...the one who he thought loved him...had kissed an enemy.

**_  
Pain  
It saddens me to know  
The helplessness you feel  
Your light  
Shines on my soul  
While a thousand candles  
Burn..._**

Van prepared to step into the colorless barrier...he no longer cared about what could happen to him. Perhaps something nice would happen to him...perhaps he would die. He just had to see.

**_It's all about the way you're feeling deep in your heart  
When she let you go.  
I don't doubt you can't believe it tears you apart.  
What you didn't know uh oh.  
Someday you'll remember why you fell for her why you said goodbye.  
Don't let your broken heart keep from ever mending  
And miss out on love that is never ending yeah.  
This could be your final heartbreak._**

Hitomi chased after Van as fast as she could. She stopped and saw him staring at a blanket of snow, but then she realized it was a barrier. His arm was shaking and he stuck his whole arm into the wall.

Then he stepped into the barrier and disappeared. Just realizing what had happened, Hitomi rushed after him in hopes to stop him.

"Van! No! Don't go!" Hitomi cried with tears streaming down her face. "Come back, Van! You don't understand!" She continued yelling although she knew her efforts were useless.

She ran up to the barrier and stuck her hand out. She felt a noxious frostiness. Her hand tingled in the chill. _Van thinks that I don't love him! He's hurting himself because of me! Oh, why? I must help him...Why am I so slow? I should have stopped him before he stepped into this white...wall... What if he's gone—for good? No, I can't think that. I must go after him._

Hitomi was determined. She had to search for Van and explain to him what had happened. She could feel his distress like they were connected. She felt his sorrow...his uncertainty. Without hesitation, she took a deep breath and jumped into the barrier.

* * *

**Review** **Please**. You: No reviewing Me: no updating (yes! Number Four F.F. Writer's excuse!) 

Well, okay... I thought those were just some cool song lyrics that I found. They're don't really have that much to do with the story, but that's okay. I put them in anyways.

If this chapter was boring, I'm very sorry.

Thank you reviewers from my last chapter:

_**Cheetah goddesss**_

_**Lissla Lissar**_

_**JoEbLoG**_

_**Wake-Robin**_

_**rrruditch**_

_**jameth**_

_**Inda**_

**_Thanks! -Lobs-StAcEy-Ters author of the story... (haha... how cheesy.)_**


	11. I'm Sorry, Hitomi

**Starcrossed Lovers: Chapter Eleven**

**I know I haven't been updating in a while because I've been a bit depressed and all. Please help by reviewing!!! (I know this one's short, but telling me that isn't going to help, not one bit!!!)**

* * *

**_Chatper Eleven: "I'm Sorry, Hitomi."_**

_I can't breath…. It's cold… am I going to die? Why am I out here by myself?...Van…I love you…. I have to tell him that! I must keep…_

**Flashback**:

Little Hitomi's waiting at a train station, holding her mother's hand. She watches as the watch on her mother's hand ticks. _…tic…toc…tic…toc…_

Suddenly the watch stops… her mom stops talking…everything just stops… Was she all alone? Why did she feel so lonely?

In the corner of her eye she sees a mysterious person that just somehow stands out. Then the person is gone and Hitomi can hear the 'tic…toc…tic…toc…'

**End of Flashback**.

_I really never figured out what that one meant._

**Flashback 2: Hitomi's POV from a dream**

I'm floating…except I really don't know where. The surrounding is black… the air is cold on my face…I feel…all alone…I can't open my eyes…am I going to die? The air is harsh…or is there any air at all? Why?

I feel the hard ground… yet there is something different about it… like it has not been trodden before… …I try to walk and then…

**End of flashback**

_So…this place…this strange place I'm at…that's what the dream was telling me… Oh…_

**Flashback 3:**

It was Hitomi's tenth birthday. Her mother had given her a set of Tarot cards. Hitomi remembered her first reading.

Hitomi pointed at the reversed card. "Something bad's going to happen. Hmm… this card means—all hopes lost unless…unless I have the courage? Wait, that doesn't make any sense. I think I did this wrong… This card is telling me that if I'm not careful, I'll be sorry. Gosh, why is everyone out to get me?"

Hitomi remembered very well what had happened. The next day she had fallen off of her bike for the first time. _Now it makes sense! Since I didn't see the rock in the road, my bike toppled over! Oh, these Tarot cards are so awesome!_

-**End of Flashback-**

_I don't think that reading really had anything to do with a bike…oh no… not at all…_

Hitomi's eyes snapped open. She remembered why she was out there! It was to find Van! She had to let him know that she still loved him. She was now oblivious to the cold, the air, and any other factor that might serve as an obstacle. For some reason, Hitomi was glowing. Why? She didn't care. She had to find Van.

_I have to tell him! He's gone through a lot, but I'm sure he'll understand if I tell him! He has to because I love him so much!_

She saw him. The blob of red and black.

"VAN!" It was hard for her to keep her eyes open. "VAN!"

He was lying on the ground and didn't stir when she called him.

"VAN!"  
Hitomi finally reached Van and kneeled beside him. "It's really not what you thought it was."

"It always is," Van replied. "You and Allen, you and Soare. Why are doing this to me, Hitomi? Why?"

She was sobbing. "Van, it's true. I did kiss Allen, but that was then. This is _now_. It's different now, I'm not like that! Really! You have to believe me. I love you, Van. I love you more that anything, anyone! Please."

"Hitomi…I'm sorry."

Suddenly a pillar of light sent Van back to Fanelia and Hitomi back to Earth.

**Review Please.**

**(A/N: Right now, I plan on updating within the next 3-4 weeks. The more reviews I get, the shorter that'll be. Thanks to everyone that does review for me!! Bye now.)**


	12. Into the Light

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Twelve**

**This is the second fic I've updated today!**

**I don't own Escaflowne or the song "Hikari No Naka E," (Into the Light)which is in E. 24 of Escaflowne when Hitomi returns to Earth. Ooh I just love that song. If you aren't a song person, skip it. It's in Japanese, so I have the translations under it in italics.**

**Read and Review!**

* * *

**Nigirishimeta te wo hodoita nara  
Tabun kore de subete ga ima owatte shimau**

_**If the tightly gripped hand was loosened,  
Probably, with this, everything would now be completely over.**_

**Last Chapter:**

"VAN!" It was hard for her to keep her eyes open. "VAN!"

He was lying on the ground and didn't stir when she called him.

"VAN!"  
Hitomi finally reached Van and kneeled beside him. "It's really not what you thought it was."

"It always is," Van replied. "You and Allen, you and Soare. Why are doing this to me, Hitomi? Why?"

She was sobbing. "Van, it's true. I did kiss Allen, but that was then. This is _now_. It's different now, I'm not like that! Really! You have to believe me. I love you, Van. I love you more that anything, anyone! Please."

"Hitomi…I'm sorry."

Suddenly a pillar of light sent Van back to Fanelia and Hitomi back to Earth.

**Chapter Twelve: Into the Light**

"To become king, you need the energist that the girl posses and you need the necklace that the boy has. Are you ready?"

"Yes, ready to become king."

-

Hitomi was back in her room again. _What have I done?? _

**Shiritakatta koto kizutsuku koto sae mo  
Nani hitotsu yari nokoshite mama de**

_**The things I wanted to know, even the things that hurt,  
Not a single thing would be left like that.**_

"WHAT HAVE I DONE??" she screamed aloud. Tears drizzled down her cheeks as she hugged her bedcovers. She could smell Van. She saw the energist and hugged it.

**Anata ga deau shiawase wo negaitai hazu na no ni  
Dekinai mijuku na jibun ni fuite mo namida ga deru**

_**I should wish for you to meet with happiness, but  
My unwilling, immature self wipes it away, the tears begin.**_

_I deserve to die. Someone needs to smite me…to drown me…anything…what's the point of living? _

**Sayonara  
Aishiteru anata wo dare yori  
Sora yori mo fukaku  
Nakanaide  
Mata aou ne  
Demo aenai koto watashi dake shitte iru no**

_**Good bye  
I love you. You more than anyone.  
Even more deeply than the sky.  
Don't cry,  
We'll meet again, right?  
But not being able to see you, it's something only I know.**_

_THERE IS NONE!! VAN! I'm SORRY…why won't you believe me…I know everything's my fault._

**Konna unmei wo eranda koto  
Itsuka anata ni mo honto no imi ga wakaru wa**

_**Having chosen this kind of fate,  
Someday, you too will understand what it really means.**_

**Futari tsukutta kioku no takara  
Zutto kokoro no kakurega de ikiteku yo**

_**We have made a treasure of memories,  
That will live forever in a hidden part of our hearts.**_

She walked down the streets, staring at the ground as she walked and carelessly bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sor—YOU!"

"Yes, it's me, Hitomi."

"You've ruined my life in every way possible," Hitomi snarled. "Van thinks I'm a—it's your fault—you—you—"

"It's Soare. Don't you remember? Come on, it hasn't been that long."

She kicked him. "Shut up! LEAVE ME ALONE." Hitomi was still holding Van's energist. Soare had his eyes upon it.

"I'm very sorry, Hitomi. I know what I did was wrong. Will you forgive me?"

_What is he saying? First he ruins my life, and now he's telling me he's sorry?_

"Why should I?"

"Hitomi, whether you forgive me or not, I feel it is my responsibility to help you. I know what I did was wrong."

_Is he trying to trick me?_

"Soare, what do you want?"

"Come with me. I can bring you back to Gaea," he said, extending his arm.

"What if I don't want to go back?"

"Hitomi, you know you want to see him again. Let's go."

"Wait…how do I know you're not going to take me back to wherever we were?"

"You don't know."

Hitomi was suspicious. "Well, you're going to do this all for free?"

"No, I want something, of course. Hitomi, I want that." He pointed to the energist.

Hitomi was shocked. "I can't give that away!"

"You won't need it anymore if I bring you back to Gaea."

"Well—I—"

Hitomi didn't have a choice. Soare reached down and snatched it from her. Then he grabbed Hitomi and disappeared with her.

-

**Futari tsukutta kioku no takara  
Zutto kokoro no kakurega de ikiteku yo**

_**We have made a treasure of memories,  
That will live forever in a hidden part of our hearts.**_

**Kirei goto da to omotteta kibou to iu kotoba wo  
Kurushii kurai dakishimete anata wo miageteiru**

_**I thought it so beautiful, the word called "hope",  
Embracing almost painfully, looking up at you.**_

Van had spoken to everyone…they all contradicted his own thoughts.

Allen: Hitomi's not like that!

Millerna: Hitomi wouldn't do that! I don't believe you!

Dryden: She's a smart girl. Give her a chance.

Merle: Van! Believe in Hitomi! I know she wouldn't try to hurt you!

Van thought about everyone's responses. _Maybe they're right. Maybe Hitomi was right. I don't know…should I give her another chance? Or not?... … …_

**Arigatou  
Aishiteru anata wo dare yori  
Yume yori mo tsuyoku  
Dakishimete hanasanaide  
Dakedo hito koto mo tsutaerarenaide...**

_**Thank you.  
I love you. You more than anyone.  
Even stronger than dreams.  
Hold me. Don't let go.  
But please don't tell me one more thing...**_

_Hitomi…Hitomi…I can't live without you…can I?_

**Nakanaide aishiteru  
Tooku hanaretete mo  
Anata to ikite yukeru**

_**Don't cry. I love you.  
Even being separated far away from you,  
I can go on living my life with you.**_

_I miss Hitomi…I guess…maybe I was too…jumping to conclusions… _

Someone knocked on his door."Sire, I have a message for you."

"Who's it from?"

"I'm…not exactly sure. The package says, 'From the King of Draconians.' Must be a relative or something."

Van stood up. _Soare…he's back to mess things up again. I'll get him this time._ "Give it to me." The messenger handed him the package. "Thanks."

Returning to his bed, Van sat down and opened the package. Inside was a letter.

**Van:**

**You know who this is. I have her…the girl…Hitomi. Let's put it this way. Show up and the old Zaibach Empire—**

_What? Zaibach again? Maybe I should get Allen to watch my back this time. What if he doesn't have Hitomi? What if I'm tricked?_

**Show up at the old Zaibach Empire with yourself alone and the necklace given to you from your lover. Yes, she does love you.**

_What does this freak know about love?_

**Do not bring others. If you do, I will kill the girl…or better yet…well, I'll make her suffer…hehe… I will make a deal with you. The necklace for the girl. It sounds fair enough, doesn't it? If you promise to behave, and nicely hand me the necklace, I promise to nicely return to you the girl.**

_He's treating her like a plaything…stupid idiot…_

**Don't forget. You have exactly until Sundown tonight.**

_Let's see…that gives me exactly… FOUR HOURS!_

**Have fun.**

**Yours truly,**

_**KING SOARE**_

_I need to go…fast…but still it would be wiser to tell someone this time. This Soare is a dangerous opponent._

"Merle!" Van called. "MERLE!"

"Yes, lord Van?"

"I'm going to Zaibach—"

Merle dropped the dishes she was holding. "You're what?"

"Look, just—"

"YOU CAN'T GO! I—"

"Merle, calm down. This is very important. Hitomi's being held hostage there. Don't follow me. Tell Allen where I'm going, but make sure he doesn't go to Zaibach. Tell him that this man—Soare—is very dangerous, so if I don't return by tomorrow noon, only then should he go to Zaibach, but he should still be very careful."

"Van! You can't go alone!"

"Merle, I have to." He hugged her and ran off.

_I can't let Van go alone! He needs help! I have to follow him._

-

_There's no way I can get to Zaibach by foot or flying in less than four hours. I have to fly on Escaflowne. _Van retrieved an energist from the Fanelia arsenal and entered the sacred temple where Escaflowne rested peacefully.

"I never thought I'd need to use you again in this life," Van told Escaflowne. He cut himself and inserted blood onto the energist. Then he boarded it and flew away in its dragon form. _Hitomi, I'm coming._

-

"I can't believe you're tricking him like this!" Hitomi shouted. "Let me out of here!" Hitomi was trapped in a glass container.

"Oh, don't worry, Hitomi. All I want is the necklace. Then you can go freely."

_Just because I can go freely doesn't mean he'll let Van go freely…oh no, what am I going to do? He's going to use me as bait!_

* * *

_Sorry for any mistakes!_ I'm not perfect. Thanks my reviewers of the last chapter!

**Please review.**


	13. Finding Hitomi

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Thirteen **

**Yikes...ok...don't yell at me. This chapter was going to be so much longer...but then Word did something strange and said it couldn't read the encoding or something...so I had to start all over!** **Just don't yell at me, review, and I'll have the next chap out soon.**

**Last chapter:**

_There's no way I can get to Zaibach by foot or flying in less than four hours. I have to fly on Escaflowne. _Van retrieved an energist from the Fanelia arsenal and entered the sacred temple where Escaflowne rested peacefully.

"I never thought I'd need to use you again in this life," Van told Escaflowne. He cut himself and inserted blood onto the energist. Then he boarded it and flew away in its dragon form. _Hitomi, I'm coming._

"I can't believe you're tricking him like this!" Hitomi shouted. "Let me out of here!" Hitomi was trapped in a glass container.

"Oh, don't worry, Hitomi. All I want is the necklace. Then you can go freely."

_Just because I can go freely doesn't mean he'll let Van go freely…oh no, what am I going to do? He's going to use me as bait!_

**Chapter Thirteen: Finding Hitomi**

"You will be all powerful," the man said. "Just retrieve the necklace."

"BE QUIET!" Soare yelled. "You do not tell me what to do here. I'm the new master now. You are just an old talking projection. I could smash you to pieces right now if I wanted to."

"You wouldn' t dare! Not after all I've taught you! I am still the great Dornkirk!"

Soare smirked, "Not anymore." And with that, he blew up the projector.

Van's pulse throbbed as he flew up high in the sky, feeling the rough wind on his brow. He noticed instant changes as he entered the city. It was being rebuilt. The only part that was still in ruin was the part close to the main fortress. He soon flew above the main fortress. It was still in ruins, the dome at the top shattered. Suddenly, he heard his name being called.

"VAN!"

He was positive that it was Hitomi's voice.

_I'm coming, don't worry…_

Van changed directions and flew to a newly constructed building right next to the old empire.

"LET ME IN!" cried a distressed Merle.

"I'm sorry, miss, but I cannot allow it. Sir Allen is not seeing any visitors today. They are direct orders."

Merle tried to push pass the guard, but she was unsuccessful. "I'm telling you, this is VERY urgent! Listen to me, will you?"  
"I don't care how urgent it is, I cannot allow you to pass."  
"BUT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"Miss, they are direct orders from Sir Allen. Please go home."

Merle was really mad now. Was he telling her to go home? This was more than urgent. Van and Hitomi's lives depended on her!

"Please, sir, this is a very important message from King Van of Fanelia." Merle gave him a begging look.

"I don't care if you're from the Mystic Moon. I'm not planning on letting you in without permission." The man crossed his arms. This was going to be much harder than Merle thought it would be.

"PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE DEPENDING ON ME!"

"Please. I really can't let you in. Go and bother someone else."

Merle was enraged. "Is the reason you won't let me in because I'm a cat? Huh? That's specieset! Just because I'm a cat doesn't mean anything. I have a dream that one day—"

"That what? One day I'll let you in? You're right about that. It's in your dreams."

"LET ME—"

A lady appeared behind the guard and interrupted them. "Merle? Is that you?"

Merle smiled. Hope at last. "Van and Hitomi are in grave danger! I need to talk to Allen!" Celena gasped.

The guard frowned. "Lady Celena, you know this creature?"

That was it. Merle took him out. BAM! He would be out for at least a day.

Van flew faster, and his heart beat increased rapidly. _Hitomi…I'm gonna bring you back safe…_ He could vaguely make out a figure on the top of the roof. It had to be Hitomi. He flew Escaflowne onto the roof and landed. Van gasped when he saw Hitomi tied to a pole. He rushed forward to her.

"GO AWAY! LEAVE!" she yelled.

Van had forgotten. Hitomi didn't know that he had forgiven her. "Hitomi, I'm really sorry, really. I was a bit jumping to conclusions, but I really am—"

"Vanit'satrap! (Van it's a trap!)" Hitomi shouted. By the time Van realized what Hitomi was trying to tell him, he had been caged.

Soare stepped out from the shadows, laughing. "I can't believe you fell for the cage trick again! And to imagine—such a person fit for king! Hah!"

"I've come," Van spat. "Now return your end of the deal."

"Oh, yes, that's it," said Soare, "hand it over."

"NOOO!" Hitomi yelled. Soare walked over to her and quickly gagged her.

_Hitomi…I must not allow myself to be tricked again._ Van thought. _There's a reason why he wants that necklace…there's a reason why he'd go to all that trouble…what is it? Come on…that's it! It's because it hold the power of Atlantis! That has to be why. Is there something he knows about it that I don't? There's not saying what he'll do with it. Why should I give it to him? It's not like he'll let us go free if I do…and if I don't…he'll probably kill me for it…and then there will be no one here for Hitomi. Ugh…he's much more dangerous than I though… _

"I don't know what you're talking about," Van said.

Soare unsheathed his dagger and pointed it at Hitomi's neck. _Oh great, _she thought. _Why is it always the woman with a knife at her throat? Gosh, I really have to do something to help. I can't just stand here and watch us get killed!_

Suddenly the roof began to descend. Soare figured that they would be better off inside the building. Soon the roof stopped.

"Where's the necklace?" he asked. "I know you have it, Van. Don't try to play games."

Now what was he supposed to do? All of his hopes were gone…or were they? Maybe there was something he can do to get out.

Finally, Van said, "Ok, but I want to know what you plan on doing."

"Well, letting you go freely, of course," said Soare. Van really doubted that.

"No, I mean, what are you going to do with the necklace?"

Soare smiled. "Add it to my collection of beautiful things."

_What? That's it? For a collection? _Van thought. _No…that can't be right…he's trying to trick me._

_Van…_Hitomi thought. _I really hope you can hear me…please…don't give him the necklace no matter what you do._

"No," said Van, "but I'm not giving it up freely."

Soare lowered the dagger and approached Van.

"What do you mean?" he asked him.

This was her chance! _Come on…I have to do something to help Van! I can't just stand here and watch him die…I can't…_Hitomi slowly used her right shoulder to pull out the gag.

Van gulped. This was his last chance to save Hitomi.

* * *

Yikes...vote...happy ending or sad ending? well, I was planning on having a sad ending, but I might do an alternate ending or something.

review please.


	14. The Battle of Life and Death Pt 1

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Fourteen**

**I don't own Escaflowne.**

Last Chapter:

"Where's the necklace?" Soare asked. "I know you have it, Van. Don't try to play games."

Now what was he supposed to do? All of his hopes were gone…or were they? Maybe there _was_ something he could do to escape.

Finally, Van said, "Ok, but I want to know what you plan on doing."

"Well, letting you go freely, of course," said Soare. Van really doubted that.

"No, I mean, what are you going to do with the necklace?"

Soare smiled. "Add it to my collection of beautiful things."

_What? That's it? For a collection? _Van thought. _No…that can't be right…he's trying to trick me._

_Van…_Hitomi thought. _I really hope you can hear me…please…don't give him the necklace no matter what you do._

"No," said Van, "but I'm not giving it up freely."

Soare lowered the dagger and approached Van.

"What do you mean?" he asked him.

This was her chance! _Come on…I have to do something to help Van! I can't just stand here and watch him die…I can't…_Hitomi slowly used her right shoulder to pull out the gag.

Van gulped. _Come on…it's not going to be as hard as it seems. I can do this…this is my second chance…_ This was his last chance to save Hitomi.

**Chapter Fourteen: The Last Vision**

"So, you're saying that this guy has captured Hitomi and now Van's going alone to fight him?" Allen stood up from his desk.

Merle nodded. "B—but he said not to go after him."

"Not to go after him?" Allen was angry. "Is he out of his mind?"

"Well, L—lord Van said that he knew how dangerous S—soare was, but he said he HAD to go alone. I'm sure there's some good reason."

"Good reason for what? Good reason to get killed? I'm not saying Van's a bad fighter—he's got excellent form and everything! He may be the King of Fanelia, but—I don't know."

Merle swallowed heavily. She didn't want to doubt Van, not at all. She believed in him and hoped with all her heart that he would come back safely with Hitomi. "Sir, well, Lord Van said that if he's not back by noon tomorrow, only then should you go after him."

"Well, maybe I should go now. I'm sure he's got everything under control—well…"

"No! You aren't going anywhere without me!" Merle said demandingly.

"No, you're going to stay here. It's too danger—"

"Isn't that what people ALWAYS say? It's too dangerous, you can't go! Well, guess what? I have every reason to go you have, and this time, no one's going to stop me!"

She stared at him defiantly, fire glowing in her eyes.

"All right," Allen said, giving up.

"WHOOHEE!"

"It's not a time to celebrate."

Merle slumped back down into her seat. "Sorry…"

"Van's a smart guy," Allen said, "and he's got a lot of determination. But sometimes he doesn't know what he's doing. Sometimes he does. I just hope that pure determination's going to be enough this time."

"Van'll do it!" cried Merle. "I know he will, just like he always has! I just know he will!"

"I hope you're right, Merle," Allen said. "I hope you're right."

(0) (0) (0) lalalalalala (0) (0) (0)

Hitomi remembered what had happened the last time Van had fought this man. Soare may have had a sick sense of humor, but he was not someone to be underestimated. She closed her eyes. _Van…I love you…please don't do anything foolish._

"A duel," she heard her beloved say. "If I win…"

Hitomi heart began to ache. Was it possible? Did Van have a chance? She knew that he was thinking the exact same thing. Even if Van did win, it was highly unlikely that Soare would let them go. Soare wanted that necklace, and there was nothing that would stop him from getting it. No, Soare wasn't an honorable man. He wouldn't play fairly, and that was something that everyone knew.

Van breathing grew faster and louder. Soare could hear Van's heart beating…beating…and beating.

"So you're saying that one of us must die?" Soare finished.

Van glared angrily into his gray eyes. "That's right."

_NO! _Hitomi wanted to scream, but she knew she shouldn't. She knew what this battle meant to Van—what it meant to Gaea. He wasn't only doing it for her and for Gaea, but also for his own honor. But in this case, why did honor matter? A life was worth so much more than honor. What was it with men that they had to have that basket of pride? But maybe his pride alone would keep him alive.

Soare laughed. "Well, this will be fun, won't it? Of course it isn't fair for me to defeat you now that you've been so tired traveling all the way to Zaibach, right?"

Van didn't answer. He kept his eyes keenly fixed on Soare, knowing that Soare would soon pull something off very stealthily.

Soare continued. "I'll give you an hour." Then he turned and exited the room. Van could hear the door being bolted shut. Then he looked at Hitomi, and she looked at him.

"I'm sorry," they both said.

"I mean—"

"Van, I know things—" Hitomi laughed. Remembering that her hands were free, she bent down and untied her feet.

"So I'm forgiven?" Van asked.

"Of course not," she said, walking up to Van.

Van laughed.

"No, I'm being serious this time," Hitomi said, frowning.

"What?"

"Why'd you tell Soare you'd fight him?" she asked.

Van hung his head. "I had no choice. What else can I do? Am I supposed to hand over that pendant and say everything's over? Would he just let us go and promise not to do anything bad?" He was getting frustrated. "I'm always the decision maker, aren't I?"

Hitomi was speechless. "Don't be so full of yourself! It doesn't matter if you're some high and mighty king! You're the one who wants to make the decisions! You're the one that chooses to make the decisions!"

"I'm the decision maker because no one else can make the right decisions!" He blurted out. That was not something he had intended to say.

"Is that so?" Hitomi said calmly. "Well, maybe that's why you're the king."

Van knew where the argument would be going. Hitomi was right though, he did want to make the decisions. He wanted to end the argument.

"Look," he said, "why are we arguing? This is stupid, really."

_Wow,_ Hitomi thought, _for once he's come to his senses._ She laughed.

"What's so funny?" Van asked.

Hitomi started to laugh harder. "Oh nothing—haha—nothing at all." Then a sudden sadness appeared on her face.

"Hitomi?"

"Van…I'm just worried about—what's going to happen." She put her hands on the bars that held Van in that cage and tried with all her might to pry them open. "It's—not—working!"

"Don't be worried," he said, taking one step closer to Hitomi, "I'll be fine. Leave the worrying for someone else."

"But, Van—"

His eyes were calm. Her heart was beating rapidly.

He extended his arms through the bars and locked Hitomi in a tight embrace.

"I should have done this long ago," he said.

Their eyes met for a second, and then their lips met.

She could feel his soft lips on hers. He kissed her with all the love he could give, and she kissed him back.

There wasn't time to think of other things. Not about Gaea, not about Soare, not about what would happen if they lost this last battle. Nothing…just their love.

Hitomi knew that Van meant this kiss. It was so much different than anything she had ever felt before. The only one who had kissed her before was Allen. (Well, Soare did too, but that was for his own enjoyment.) But Van's kiss was so much different—it was really different.

She ran her fingers through his loose dark hair. All her worries were gone. She felt as if she had finally found happiness.

Suddenly Hitomi stopped and fell down, her eyes wide with fear. A sudden image had flashed in her head. It was painted with blood, death, cheats, and murderers. She hadn't had any visions for a long time. Why now? Gasping for breath, Hitomi felt sick…really sick.

**Flashback**:

"Don't…you mustn't use the power of your wishes. Your desires are rooted in anxiety. Such wishes only make real those anxieties. You are the one who is making Van and the others suffer…your troubled heart chooses an unhappy outcome out of all the possible choices."

**End of Flashback**

The words kept running through her head. But so did the vision. She saw someone—he was falling, covered in blood—falling. What did that mean? Should she just forget about it? Or did it really mean something.

"Hitomi," said Van, "is something—what's wrong?"

Panting heavily with sweat rolling down her brow, she replied, "I—I don't know—it's nothing. I'm just—just seeing things." She tried to shake the vision out of her head. She looked up at Van with hopeful eyes. "Please, when you fight Soare—be careful—be very careful."

Van understood what that meant. "You saw something, didn't you? You saw the outcome? Isn't that what you saw? Answer me!"

"Van," Hitomi said. "Please, I can't…Van…" Exhausted, Hitomi fell back.

"HITOMI!"

* * *

End of Chapter.

Review Please.


	15. The Battle of Life and Death Pt 2

**Starcrossed Lovers Chapter Fifteen**

**All right, people. This is the last chapter! I most likely won't be writing any more to this fic. Whether Van lives...or Van dies... is all right here. Enjoy! I don't own ANYTHING**! (Note: The bold font in the chapter are song lyrics. I happened to be listening to that song when I was writing this chapter... so I was like, "Why not include it?")

**Last chapter:**

The words kept running through her head. But so did the vision. She saw someone—he was falling, covered in blood—falling. What did that mean? Should she just forget about it? Or did it really mean something.

"Hitomi," said Van, "is something—what's wrong?"

Panting heavily with sweat rolling down her brow, she replied, "I—I don't know—it's nothing. I'm just—just seeing things." She tried to shake the vision out of her head. She looked up at Van with hopeful eyes. "Please, when you fight Soare—be careful—be very careful."

Van understood what that meant. "You saw something, didn't you? You saw the outcome? Isn't that what you saw? Answer me!"

"Van," Hitomi said. "Please, I can't…Van…" Exhausted, Hitomi fell back.

"HITOMI!"

**Chapter** **Fifteen**: **The Battle of Life and _Death_ Part Two**

Van caught her when she fell. He looked at her startled face. Her eyes were once again wide opened and caught in some trance.

"Hitomi," he said, "don't give up on me now. I need you. I can't—I can't win this without you!"

**A hundred days had made me older  
since the last time that I've saw your pretty face**

"Hitomi," he said, his voice trembling. "I—"

"You shouldn't waste your breath," Soare said. "She can't hear you."

**A thousand lights had made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same**

Van spun around angrily. "What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HITOMI!"

"Whoa, you don't need to be accusing others like that. I did nothing. She just saw your defeat in her eyes. I know you know your chances of defeating me are—very scarce. Hitomi knows that…she won't be coming back. And you won't be going to her."

The state Hitomi was in—it reminded him of the so many times he nearly lost her. He would not let her go, not now.  
**_  
_But all the miles had separate  
They disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face_  
_**

"Don't say a word," Van said with a distinct anger in his voice, "don't talk. Let's just get this fight on." The large metal cage around him suddenly disappeared.

"You sound over confident," Soare chuckled. "I'll talk all I want. But I'll respect your wishes, for you're about to DIE!" He drew his sword and let it plummet to the ground. "I doubt I'll be needing that."

**_  
_I'm here without you baby  
but your still on my lonely mind  
I think about you baby  
and I dream about you all the time **

He looked at Hitomi with sad, loving eyes. _Please…I know you're stronger than that…I'll be waiting for you. I need you, Hitomi…I love you too._ And then he drew his sword. _This is for Hitomi, for Fanelia, for all of Gaea…and for…_

**_  
_I'm here without you baby  
but your still with me in my dreams  
And tonight it's only you and me  
**

Hitomi was falling though a hole that never seemed to end.

Falling…Falling…. Falling…Down….Down……

At a deafening speed…it was as if she was simply falling through the hole of time.

She could not tell where she was. All she knew was that she was trapped. Trapped in a vision—in one single frame that kept replaying itself…over and over again. She saw the sword…she saw the blood. She saw him dying…_Van…no…I can't let him fight…but where is he? Van!_

**_  
_The miles just keep rollin **

**_The sword pierced his heart…  
_as the people either way to say hello**

_**Blood spurted all over—his face—his clothes—the ground…** **  
**_**I've heard this life is overrated**

**_He fell…  
_but I hope that it gets better as we go**

"_NOO!"_Hitomi thought. _I can't let that happen! LET ME OUT! I NEED VAN! VAN NEEDS ME! _

_**  
I'm here without you baby  
but your still on my lonely mind  
**_

_Van…I'll find a way to you…don't worry, I will…_

_**I think about you baby  
and I dream about you all the time  
I'm here without you baby  
but your still with me in my dreams  
And tonight girl it's only you and me  
**_

_Hitomi…_ A voice called. _Use the power of your wishes…use them…_

_I want Van to be safe…_ Hitomi thought desperately, trying to erase the vision from her eyes…The blood was gone. _Van will live…we will see each other again… I know we will_, the sword has disappeared…

_**Everything I know,  
and anywhere I go  
it gets hard but it won't take away my love  
**_

Van charged with great anger…Hitomi would come back to him. Soare would die…he would pay for what he had done—oh yes, he would pay. Soare knocked him down without even touching Van. It was just like before. Van would fall—and then just stand up again.

"Give it up," said Soare.

"There is no giving up," Van said, panting in blood.

"You've already lost, Van." Soare said, bluntly. Van gripped his sword higher.

"I'm still alive," Van said, charging at Soare. Soare stuck out his arm, preparing to strike the final blow… slyly picking up his sword.**_  
_**

_**And when the last one falls,  
when it's all said and done  
it get hard but it won't take away my love **_

Use the power of your wishes…

_Use the power…or my wishes… _

_I want to be by Van's side…please…I want to…I really do…_ Suddenly tears began to block the grotesque vision. _I want to help Van._ Then a bright light shone around Hitomi. She woke up.

_**  
I'm here without you baby  
but your still on my lonely mind  
I think about you baby **_

She saw him running…charging…but not to his death. It was not too late. Hitomi stood up and ran as fast as she could toward Van. "VAN! BEHIND YOU!" Van turned around just in time to dodge the one blow that would have ended his life. Then Van took the chance and stabbed Soare with his sword. Just as Soare's body fell to the ground with a thump, Van tore the necklace from his neck, gripping it tightly in his fist.

_**  
and I dream about you all the time  
I'm here without you baby  
but your still with me in my dreams  
And tonight girl it's only you and me**_

Tears of joy flowed down Hitomi's cheeks. "Van! You did it!" She ran toward him and prepared to embrace him.

"You better not," he said, gasping for breath. "You know, the blood." Then he smiled at her and toppled over. Hitomi knew that he was just sleeping. _Van…I'm just glad that you're safe._

"Van! Hitomi!" A voice called. Hitomi instantly recognized it to be Allen's voice.

"ALLEN!" she called.

"What happened?"

"Just a messy fight," Hitomi said. _Well, it was much more than that, but…I'm just glad that he's okay._

"Is he—alive?" asked Allen.

Rejoicing, she replied, "Yeah, he did it! Van won!" _…And I can't believe that I even doubted him…_

Allen smiled. "Sounds like him. Come on, let's take him back."

As the walked out, Hitomi glanced at Escaflowne, sitting under the bright blue sky. _Finally…a day to put it to rest…thank you Grandma…if you hadn't guided me…I don't know what I would have done._

A week later…

Van's wounds had healed. He owed Hitomi…

…a proper date. Of course, when Merle's ears had heard that, she arranged a big and fancy ball party for the two of them, except that it was very big. More than big to be precise. She even hired Van an extra-special dance instructor.

Palace tailors had made Hitomi a cute little red dress made of silk. It sparkled under the light and suited her perfectly. "It's so beautiful!" she repeatedly exclaimed. It was quiet true as well.

Although she did not consider a ball a date, she found it fascinating. _It's like our Academy's Annual Ball! Or the Prom in the Americas! Or even the King's dazzling ball! Wow, I feel so honored…_

Hitomi sat down by the window. The room she was staying in was modeled to look exactly like room she stayed in Fanelia when she first arrived on Gaea before the fire burned everything down. There were a couple minor adjustments though.

The scenery was as beautiful as ever. Peaceful birds chirping, the sound of the breezy wind blowing… then Hitomi thought about her family back on Earth. She was suddenly troubled.

_What am I going to do? I can't stay here forever, and Van can't go back with me…I wonder what my parents are thinking…my brother…I never told them that I was leaving…_A tear rolled down her cheek. _I don't want to leave Van. _She buried her face in her arms. _What am I going to do?_

The night of the ball soon arrived. People from all over Gaea were invited, including people that Hitomi had not seen in a while: Dryden and Millerna and Celena. Millerna was as beautiful as ever, wearing a beautiful blue gown. Celena's hair was long and wavy, and she wore a light yellow gown.

_Where was Hitomi?_ Van thought. He assumed she was probably chatting with the guests. "Van!" Hitomi called. He spun around and gaped when he saw her in her dress. She had a fresh flower in her hair and a beautiful ruby red necklace.

"You look—beautiful." He smiled at her.

She walked up to him and hugged him, whispering into his ear, "And you look very handsome."

"Would you like to dance?"

"Gladly." Hitomi took his hand and began to waltz. She had taken dance lessons just a year ago and was very good at waltzing. Van had improved rapidly since he reluctantly began to take lessons.

Hitomi's heart was pounding rapidly. _I feel so happy when I dance with Van…I've never felt such pleasure before._ "You're a good dancer," she said as the musicians began to play a slower song.

Van locked his arms around Hitomi's waist as she put her arms around his neck.

"So you have to give a speech?" Hitomi asked.

"Yeah. This is Fanelia's first public event since the rebuilding. I've never really given a speech before…" He sounded a little nervous.

"I'm sure you'll do great," Hitomi said.

"Thanks."

They dance some more in silence until Van finally said, "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"I—what about you're speech?"

"Ah, forget the speech. This was supposed to be a date before all of—this happened."

Van led Hitomi outside into a garden where they both sat down beside a fountain. Van saw a troubled look in Hitomi's eyes. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing really…" Hitomi knew that was not the truth. "I—I just…don't know what I'm going to do. My family's still on Ear—the Mystic Moon—and—I really want to stay here. I don't want to leave you…but…"

"Don't worry about that right now," Van said. "It'll all work out—for us." He wrapped his arm around her and locked his lips with hers. After all the dangers they had gone through together, they were finally at peace under the grand moonlight. They truly were star-crossed lovers.

* * *

The _end_. 

Nope, not a tragedy. I realized that since the topic is Action/Adventure/Romance, I shouldn't have a sad ending. And besides, I hate sad endings because they make me sad. haha, yeah. The "star-crossed lovers" thing is actually from Romeo and Juliet, and I was going to have some kind of referral to that because that play is a tragedy, but then I decided not to.

I hope I didn't mess up this chapter with any stupid mistakes! But you know, I haven't reallywritten anything romantic before, so it's not bad I guess.Please tell me what you think about this last chapter and leave me a review! (THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER! WHOOHOO, finally finished.) It sounds complete, doesn't it? But I may just add in a little epilogue at the end to say what happened later...or I might just leave it up to your imagination!

Thanks to:

All my reviewers for helping me to continue this fic!


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